Walter Bonatti

Walter Bonatti,
(born June 22, 1930, Bergamo, Italy—died Sept. 13, 2011, Dubino, Italy), Italian mountaineer who was at the centre of one of the most contentious disputes in mountaineering history, with compatriot Achille Compagnoni; after 50 years Bonatti’s assertion was eventually confirmed. Bonatti was already an accomplished climber at age 18, and in 1954 he was selected to join the Italian team that tackled K2, the second highest peak in the world. He was the youngest member of the 18-man team and was assigned to take oxygen cylinders up the mountain in preparation for the final assault by Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli ... (100 of 259 words)